Jesse Norman (Hereford and South Herefordshire) (Con)
Will the Leader of the House give us the forthcoming business?
The Leader of the House of Commons (Lucy Powell)
I shall. The business for the week commencing 31 March includes:
Monday 31 March—Consideration of Lords message on the Non-Domestic Rating (Multipliers and Private Schools) Bill, followed by remaining stages of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (Transfer of Functions etc) Bill [Lords].
Tuesday 1 April—If necessary, consideration of Lords messages, followed by Second Reading of the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill [Lords].
Wednesday 2 April—If necessary, consideration of Lords messages, followed by a motion to approve the draft Infrastructure Planning (Onshore Wind and Solar Generation) Order 2025, followed by a motion to approve the draft Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2025, followed by a motion to approve the draft Whiplash Injury (Amendment) Regulations 2025.
Thursday 3 April—General debate on the impact of digital platforms on UK democracy, followed by a general debate on access to sport and PE in schools. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee.
Friday 4 April—The House will not be sitting.
The provisional business for the week commencing 7 April includes:
Monday 7 April—General debates: subjects to be confirmed.
Tuesday 8 April—General debate on the potential merits of awarding a posthumous Victoria Cross to Blair Mayne, followed by a general debate on matters to be raised before the forthcoming Adjournment. The subjects for these debates were determined by the Backbench Business Committee.
The House will rise for the Easter recess at the conclusion of business on Tuesday 8 April and will return on Tuesday 22 April.
Jesse Norman
May I start by thanking the whole House for their wonderful messages of condolence during last week’s business questions? I could not be more grateful. I single out, in particular, the Leader of the House for her very gracious remarks.
I turn from fathers to mothers, as this Sunday, of course, is Mother’s Day. The infant shadow Leaders of the House have been instructed—not that they needed it—on how to manage the occasion. I am sure that the whole House will want to join me in celebrating mothers at the weekend, and expressing ourselves in all kinds of ways to thank our mothers and the mothers we have among us for all the work they do.
This has been the week of the spring statement. The House will recall the October Budget in November of last year. It was described as a once-in-a-generation Budget, with no tax rises to follow. This week we have seen that the Chancellor’s own growth forecast just four months later has been halved, and she has increased cuts to welfare benefits. That follows the interesting strategy of abolishing NHS England, having just fired all the team running it. The tax burden is on track to hit a record high in 2027-28.
We should give credit where credit is due—the Chancellor has protected capital investment, which is a very important and correct decision—but there have also been wheezes. I am sorry to say that she has somewhat pulled the wool over the eyes of the Office for Budget Responsibility in relation to housing growth, which is the Government’s new “get out of jail free” card. It has never been included in an OBR estimate before, and it is very doubtful and unlikely that it will happen in any case, even at those levels—the target has already been downgraded from 1.5 million houses to 1.3 million houses—because of the planned upheaval in local government. Meanwhile, the immensely damaging Employment Rights Bill goes entirely unscored economically by the OBR. We will see what it says about that piece of legislation next time around.
The brutal fact is that although the Government claim to prioritise growth, growth has halved since they came into power. They have talked about little else, but even their own forecasts do not show growth getting back even to 2% by the end of the decade, and every major independent expert forecast of the economy’s future growth is lower than that of the OBR.
What do we see if we look more closely? The spring statement is not really about work at all; it is about moving people from welfare into lower-paying welfare. The cut to universal credit announced last week has been followed by a freezing of universal credit—why? It is because that appears to hit the Chancellor’s own fiscal headroom number to the decimal point. Last week we heard all the rhetoric about the moral case for nudging people back into work, but now it seems that this is actually an accounting exercise, and the economic and moral justification for the policy has been lost sight of.
The second point is the question whether artificial intelligence, which the Government have greatly emphasised, will actually have the effect of increasing growth. The Chancellor suggested that this idea was somehow obvious and conventional wisdom, but that is very far from true. The Nobel prize-winning economist Bob Solow famously said that the effects of the IT revolution could be seen everywhere except in the economic numbers. Other countries are scaling and deploying artificial intelligence with massive speed, and many experts believe that AI could increase unemployment and inequality, and raise the costs of retraining people and reintegrating them into the workforce. Far from creating economic growth, the advent of AI could end up forcing a Government—possibly this Government—into even more spending than they presently contemplate.
Finally, we get to the vexed and much-discussed issue of so-called fiscal headroom—or, to use a more technical phrase, the goolies-in-a-vice problem. It has been suggested that the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing expecting a different result. So far, we have seen minimal fiscal adjustment at the statement, and meanwhile the Chancellor has managed to recreate the same constraining conditions that existed beforehand. This is a situation entirely of the Government’s own making. It was the Chancellor’s decision to choose these fiscal rules, and it was her decision then to take measures that undermined economic growth. She has staked her own credibility and that of the Government on those decisions. The result is that we will now have endless uncertainty and avoidable speculation about the fiscal position every week, through the comprehensive spending review and into the autumn Budget.
The Chancellor has refused to rule out making more cuts to spending. Even so, she may have to impose tax rises, and those tax rises could come even sooner than anticipated if the US decides to go ahead with the tariff it has suggested. As such, my question is this: what will the Leader of the House feel in her own heart, and what will she say to her Cabinet colleagues over the next few weeks, as the full effects of these terribly damaging decisions become clear?
Lucy Powell
I join the right hon. Gentleman in saying that it was really heartwarming to hear so many tributes paid to his father at last week’s business questions. Such moments show the House at its best, and I thank him for bringing his eulogy to the Floor of the House. I also join him in looking forward to Mothering Sunday—maybe I will get some rest on that day, but we will see. First, I will have to pay a visit to my own mum, who I pay tribute to as well. Her very favourite phrase, which has stuck with me throughout my life, is “Them who does nowt does nowt wrong.” I will leave that to linger with a few colleagues.
As the right hon. Gentleman says, yesterday we heard the spring statement. We heard that this Labour Government are taking on the unprecedented long-term challenges that this country faces—I know that he and Conservative Members do not want to acknowledge it, but I am afraid that is the reality. The problems that we face run deep. There is huge global uncertainty, as he knows; there have been years of under-investment in infrastructure and in people, leading to low productivity and low growth; there are the effects of covid, to which we were particularly exposed, and which his Government did not address, leaving a generation of working-age adults consigned to benefits and 1 million young people not in education, training or work; and our economy remains in the long shadow of Liz Truss, who destroyed fiscal confidence, leaving high and costly debt, high interest rates and ordinary people paying the price. That, I am afraid, is the legacy we are trying to address.
We are facing up to those realities and putting this country on a path to improved living standards, secure work, an NHS that is back on its feet, affordable homes to live in, and security through defence and our global leadership. That is going to take time—there is no denying it—but the forecasts published yesterday, which the right hon. Gentleman took a selective view of, show the green shoots of recovery. He might not want to hear it, but as the OBR said yesterday, growth forecasts after this year have been upgraded as a result of our policies.
Britain is now set to be the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 this year and next year. I am glad that the shadow Leader of the House is welcoming the boost in capital investment, after years and years of under-investment and a downward trajectory in capital spending by his Government. That has led to another £2 billion extra earmarked for defence, another £2 billion more for affordable and social housing, and a transformation fund that will help reform our public services and deliver those better outcomes.
After the right hon. Gentleman’s Government left millions languishing in the aftermath of covid—that is what they did—we have got a plan to get people back to work, and we are making sure that the welfare safety net is sustainable for the long term. That is a far cry, I am afraid, from his Government. Our plan includes a pay rise for the lowest earners, coming in next week. The Employment Rights Bill, which we on the Government Benches are proud of, will give dignity and security in work. We have protections for the most in need and the biggest back to work programme in a generation. Even in the long shadow of Liz Truss—a very long shadow—which looms large over our fiscal credibility, interest rates are coming down, inflation is now under control and stability is restored.
The shadow Leader of the House asked about the headroom, but I gently remind him that the headroom that the Chancellor set out yesterday is 50% more than the headroom she inherited from her predecessor. One of the most shocking aspects of what we inherited was the eye-watering cost of servicing our enormous debt. We now spend £100 billion a year servicing debt, which is more than we spend on defence, justice and the Home Office combined. That is what we inherited from the Conservatives. Even in the face of those challenges, the Labour Chancellor announced yesterday that the Government’s day-to-day spending will be going up above inflation each year for this forecast, and that will help restore our public services and give support to those who need it most. Those are Labour values in practice, making different choices for this country in the interests of working people. That is what Labour values are all about.
Derek Twigg (Widnes and Halewood) (Lab)
I refer the Leader of the House to the public office standards Bill, better known as the Hillsborough law, which is how I would like to refer to it. She will know my history in what happened at Hillsborough and, subsequently, with the independent panel report, and the involvement I had in the negotiations between Ministers, families and others. From what we are hearing, it seems that we are approaching a similar situation, where Whitehall is finding reasons to find problems with the law, rather than delivering it. It was only when we had the intervention of the then Home Secretary, Alan Johnson, and then Baroness May of Maidenhead, when she became Home Secretary, that we got things moving again. Can I ask the Leader of the House to talk to her Government colleagues to ensure that the duty of candour, parity of funding for families at inquest and other issues that we agreed on will be included in that Bill and that it will be published soon?
Lucy Powell
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue. I know of his long history with the Hillsborough disaster—indeed, I understand that he was there that day. He and all the families affected want to see justice, and they want to see the Hillsborough law coming into effect. This Government remain committed to bringing forward legislation in that regard, as we have said, but we want to ensure that it reflects the full range of concerns and experiences of those affected, and that is the most important thing with this legislation. We remain committed to working with the families and all those affected to make sure, as we work at pace on that piece of legislation, that it meets their expectations. We will be setting out our next steps shortly.
Marie Goldman (Chelmsford) (LD)
The Government’s welfare changes, announced in yesterday’s spring statement, will see 150,000 carers losing half a billion pounds of support by 2030. Carers receive precious little support already, so removing what little they get will do nothing to help people into work. Instead, it will just put more pressure on already overstretched carers, social care and, as we all know, the NHS. These changes come when the NHS is in a state of flux and uncertainty. Integrated care boards who run local health services have been told to make eye-watering cuts of 50% to their running costs, but the Government have not published an impact assessment on these ICB cuts or set out what the effect will be on patients.
Are we to assume that the Government are doing this in the dark? Should we assume, perhaps, that they are closing their eyes and hoping for the best, while in reality not having a clue what it will mean for patients, carers or people in their time of need? Surely if they had properly assessed their proposals, and it was all going to be fine, they would waste no time in telling us.
The alternative, of course, is that the Government know exactly how bad these cuts will be and what they will mean for our struggling health and care services. Either way, it is right that this House and the public should know what the Government know about the impact of their plans. Will the Leader of the House therefore grant Government time to discuss the impact on our NHS of cutting carer support and of their rushed cuts to integrated care boards?
Lucy Powell
On carer’s allowance and the reforms to welfare that have been set out to this House in a number of statements and urgent questions, our guiding principles are to ensure that the safety net is there for the most in need, that there is better support for those who can work to get back into work, and that our welfare system and payments, such as personal independence payments and the associated carer’s allowance and other things that sit alongside it, are there for the long term. Frankly, the situation as it stands today means that aspects of that are not sustainable into the long term. For example, we are seeing more than a thousand new people a day being awarded personal independence payments, and that is simply not sustainable.
However, I absolutely agree with the hon. Lady that such reforms need to be done carefully, with compassion and in a managed way. We need to consider all aspects, especially in relation to what might be considered passported benefits. Primary legislation will be coming forward on these issues shortly, so they will be fully debated on the Floor of the House. I am sure that Members will take time to consider those measures.
The hon. Lady raises some questions about ICBs and the changes we are making to the national health service and NHS England. Our intention and our aim is to get more money back into frontline services and have less being spent on management and duplication in the back-office systems. Again, some of those aspects will need primary legislation. That will be brought forward, and therefore impact assessments and other things will come to light at that time.
Mr Connor Rand (Altrincham and Sale West) (Lab)
The UK has one of the worst paternity offers in Europe, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the police force, where new research from the Dad Shift shows that many frontline officers are taking just one week of paternity leave, because that is all they are entitled to on full pay. Does the Leader of the House agree that when the Government present their review of paternity leave to this place, a better deal for dads who serve on the frontline in the force should be an important consideration?
Lucy Powell
May I commend my hon. Friend for his campaigning on this issue, which I know he has raised in other ways, and also commend the Dad Shift for its campaigning? Police officers work tirelessly for all of us to keep our streets safe on behalf of the whole country, and they should be entitled to proper paternity leave. He is right to say that we have a review under way. The Employment Rights Bill is passing through Parliament at the moment, and I will ensure that these issues are considered as part of that review.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)
I call the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee.
Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)
In addition to the business that the Leader of the House has announced, it would be very helpful if we were told whether we will get Thursday 24 April in the Chamber, because we have debates requested. Equally, she has announced that there will be general debates on Monday 7 April, but we now have a queue of 37 debates waiting to be heard in the Chamber. By my calculations, that will take us up to the November recess, even if there are no further applications. It would be very helpful if we could get some of those debates allocated.
The business in Westminster Hall next week will include a debate on eating disorder awareness on Tuesday 1 April. On Thursday, there will be a debate on waste incinerators, followed by a debate on Government support for Thames Water. On Tuesday 8 April, there will be a debate on the persecution of Christians. I will follow up with the debates after the Easter recess next week.
On 13 April 1919, families gathered peacefully in the Jallianwala Bagh to enjoy the sun and a day out. On behalf of the British Army, General Dyer marched his troops in and ordered them to fire on innocent people until they ran out of ammunition. At the end of the massacre, 1,500 people were dead and 1,200 injured. Eventually, General Dyer was disgraced for that stain on the British empire. In 2019, the then Prime Minister, Theresa May, recognised that this event was a stain on British colonial rule in India. The anniversary of the massacre will be on 13 April, when we are in recess. Could we have a Government statement admitting to what went wrong and formally giving an apology to the people of India?
Lucy Powell
As ever, I thank the Chair of the Backbench Business Committee for arranging so much Back-Bench business and for announcing it here today, which I appreciate. As we have discussed in private and in these sessions, I will continue to endeavour to give him as much notice as possible of future slots for his Committee.
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the important matter of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. As he says, it is one of the most notorious and shameful episodes in the history of British colonialism, particularly in India. I will ensure that Foreign Office Ministers have heard his question, and I will suggest that they bring forward a statement in advance of the anniversary.
Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (Lab/Co-op)
At the Copeland Street car park in my Derby South constituency, people are getting ripped off with parking charges time after time. Too often, broken parking machines or apps that will not load mean that well-intentioned drivers are fined. Too many of these unfair fines go unchallenged, with parking companies pocketing the cash. Could the House please be updated on the Government’s plan to introduce a parking code of practice so that we can protect drivers from rip-off companies?
Lucy Powell
As constituency MPs, we can absolutely recognise what my hon. Friend has said, and many of us share his anger and frustration at how cowboy outfits operate. They are ripping people off, as he says. We are determined to drive up standards across the sector. A private parking code of practice will be published in due course, and I will ensure that this House is the first to hear about it.
John Lamont (Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk) (Con)
Could we have a debate to recognise the important role that GPs and local medical practices play in our communities? Today we are joined in the Public Gallery by the practice manager of Coldstream medical practice, Yvonne Archibald, and the practice’s therapy dog, Hattie. She is a huge part of the practice team and acts as an unofficial therapy pet for both patients and staff. Hattie has already visited No. 10 Downing Street on another trip, and is now enjoying her trip to the House of Commons to see you in action, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Lucy Powell
I join the hon. Gentleman in welcoming Yvonne, the practice manager of Coldstream medical practice, and Hattie, the therapy dog. We are all looking at a very cute dog in the Public Gallery. It sounds like Hattie would give anybody some much-needed therapy—perhaps we could all go and stroke her after this session, because I feel like we probably need it. There was a video of Hattie chasing Larry the cat up Downing Street. I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising the important work of therapy dogs like Hattie.
Josh MacAlister (Whitehaven and Workington) (Lab)
Today marks the 45th anniversary of the Kielland disaster off the coast of Norway in the North sea, which took the lives of 123 men. Twenty-two of them were British, including Michael Fleming, Keith Hunter, Brian Graham, John Grady and Colin Lamb from Cleator Moor in my constituency. Many questions remain unanswered for the families of those who tragically lost their lives. Does my right hon. Friend agree that we should call on the Norwegian authorities to make available all the information that they collected during their inquiry in the 1980s—much of which remains unpublished—so that the families who lost loved ones can finally get some answers?
Lucy Powell
I thank my hon. Friend for raising what is obviously a very important issue for his constituents, and for those still mourning the loss of friends and family in the Kielland disaster all those years ago. I am really sorry to hear that they feel that many questions are still unanswered. I know the British authorities are working closely with the Norwegian authorities in Oslo, but I will ensure that he gets a full reply about that and that his constituents get the answers they deserve.
Andrew Rosindell (Romford) (Con)
In the 1960s, my constituency of Romford, which is part of the London borough of Havering, formed part of Greater London, but we are in Essex. The Government are following through with a devolution plan for the county of Essex. Will the Leader of the House please allow Havering to be considered as part of that discussion? People are deeply unhappy with the control from inner London. We feel much closer connections to Essex, and provided that there can be some guarantees about Transport for London, policing and things of that sort, it makes absolute sense for us to be part of that discussion. Will she arrange a debate on the Floor of the House, and perhaps a meeting with me and the Minister responsible, to try to find a solution to this issue and make my constituents very happy?
Lucy Powell
I hear the hon. Gentleman’s strong representation for his constituency to be part of Essex, although I think he said that he would still like the benefits of being part of the Greater London area. We are embarking on the biggest devolution of powers that has happened under any Government, and part of that is about redrawing the map for local communities. His community should absolutely continue to make representations through him. I will certainly ensure that the Minister for Local Government, my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton (Jim McMahon), has a discussion with him about the possibility of Havering joining Essex.
Kirsteen Sullivan (Bathgate and Linlithgow) (Lab/Co-op)
The Boyle family run Boghall Butchers in Bathgate, and have served the community and my constituency with pride for 50 years. Just three weeks ago, the Boghall Butchers doner kebab pie was crowned supreme champion at the British pie awards. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating the Boyle family on their dedicated service and award-winning fusion pie, and join me on a visit to Bathgate to taste the pie of pies?
Lucy Powell
Regular attenders of these sessions will know that I am very keen on invitations to taste the culinary outputs of constituencies, particularly those that come in the form of pies, although I had not heard of a kebab-filled pie. Some might call it pie-oneering. [Laughter.] Come on, give me some credit! I join my hon. Friend in congratulating the Boyle family and all at Boghall Butchers.
Clive Jones (Wokingham) (LD)
Last night, President Donald Trump announced a new 25% tariff on all imported cars going into the United States, and today the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has revealed that vehicle production declined by 11.6% in February, falling for the 12th month in a row, while Stellantis is closing its Luton plant and BMW is scaling back its investments in Oxford. The automotive industry needs greater confidence from this Government. Will the Leader of the House ensure that there is a ministerial statement to update us on the Government’s efforts to protect this vital sector?
Lucy Powell
I absolutely will ensure that there is a ministerial statement as these things develop. The hon. Member will be aware that we are in intensive negotiations with the US on tariffs and broader trading arrangements. He will appreciate that we are in a fairly unique position among countries, in that the UK has a trade deficit with the US, so the US benefits more from that relationship than we do. I think that gives us some advantage in the conversations that we continue to have, but we recognise how important it is to make sure that we are not affected by tariffs, if at all possible. I will ensure that the House is updated.
Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)
BBC Scotland announced last week that the much-loved, long-running drama series “River City” will be decommissioned by the autumn of 2026. The fictional town of Shieldinch is based in my constituency of West Dunbartonshire; the set and studio are in Dumbarton. BBC Scotland is part of the wider BBC, which is a public service broadcaster with a duty to use public funds to produce Scottish content, including drama. After 23 years of BBC Scotland supporting Scottish actors and production talent, I am concerned that skills and career development opportunities in the industry will be lost in the west of Scotland. Can the Leader of the House bring this to the attention of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, and will she urge the BBC to reconsider its decision and save Scotland’s only domestic TV soap?
Lucy Powell
I am really sorry to hear that “River City” is being decommissioned by the BBC. I know this will be of great concern to my hon. Friend’s constituents and those across Scotland. He is right to say that the BBC has a duty to represent, serve and reflect all the communities of the UK, including by making sure that there is Scottish content for Scottish audiences. I will ensure that he gets a thorough response from the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, but I thank him for raising this very important matter.
Sir John Hayes (South Holland and The Deepings) (Con)
As a Minister, I was partly involved in the introduction of a Groceries Code Adjudicator. The aim of that supermarket ombudsman was to ensure a fair food chain, yet years later, farm-gate prices bear little relation to the prices that consumers pay, and farmers and growers still struggle to get a fair deal. The Chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael), has suggested that the powers of the ombudsman be increased. Can we have a debate about that in Government time? My farmers, growers and food firms in Lincolnshire deserve a fair deal. They deserve to be protected from these greedy corporate behemoths.
Lucy Powell
When I was a new MP in 2012, one of the first Public Bill Committees of which I was a member was the Groceries Code Adjudicator Bill Committee; I am not sure if the right hon. Member was the Minister. I have followed the Groceries Code Adjudicator closely ever since, as I am sure he appreciates, and I often hear about it on “Farming Today” in the small hours, when I cannot sleep. I am well aware of the issues that he raises about making sure that our farmers continue to get a good deal and are not overshadowed and overburdened by the supermarkets, which may act in uncompetitive ways. He will know that the code needs updating; I will ensure that this House is kept fully abreast of all developments, and that he has input into it.
Dawn Butler (Brent East) (Lab)
I thank the Leader of the House and shadow Leader of the House for reminding me to wish my mum a happy Mother’s Day. She has a bit of a spidey sense, so I hope she will see this on telly.
Bidfood, one of the UK’s largest distributors, has suddenly derecognised the GMB trade union, which has caused lots of concern and worry among its employees. A good employer does not have anything to fear, or worry about, from a recognition agreement. Having had a recognition agreement for 30 years, Bidford should not suddenly stop that arrangement. Would the Leader of the House join me in urging Bidfood to sit at the table with the GMB and make sure that the relationship is re-established?
Lucy Powell
That sounds like quite a worrying development—Bidfood breaking the recognition agreement with its trade union. My hon. Friend is right to say that the evidence is clear that where recognition agreements exist, they work in the interests of the business and its employees. That is why we are strengthening measures on some these matters in the Employment Rights Bill, but I will ensure that Ministers take a look at this case.
Dave Doogan (Angus and Perthshire Glens) (SNP)
Yesterday, in my trademark balanced and consensual way, I asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if she would review her tax and spending plans. I gave her three principal examples of how she could raise substantially more revenue, which would, I hope, enable her not to cut disability benefits quite as much, or possibly even at all. She gave me a response about the Trident nuclear deterrent. I know what my position is on that, and I know that it is at odds with that of most of my colleagues in this Chamber, but so too did my constituents when they elected me—twice. Can we have a debate in Government time about the minimum standard of responses that elected Members, whatever the colour of their rosette, can enjoy from Ministers in this Chamber?
Lucy Powell
The hon. Member has very politely raised this issue with me today, and I thank him for that. He will know—he is a regular attender at business questions—that I take ministerial responses very seriously, in that they should be forthcoming, open and timely, so I will certainly look into that issue.
I think the hon. Member was raising with the Chancellor the question of whether we could raise more taxes from the wealthy. Just for the record, I would say to him that we have been doing that in a number of ways, lots of which have been controversial, whether it is by reducing VAT breaks for private schools, increasing taxes on those who own private jets, increasing capital gains tax, taking on the excess profits of the energy companies and, of course, dealing with non-dom tax status. All that has raised billions of pounds for our public services, and for what we are doing. We absolutely think that those with the broadest shoulders should pay the highest price. As he has requested, I will make sure that he gets forthcoming replies.
Warinder Juss (Wolverhampton West) (Lab)
Last week and at the weekend, the opening ceremony, group games, semi-finals and finals of the kabaddi world cup were played at WV Active Aldersley in my constituency of Wolverhampton West. The rest of the games were played at other venues in the west midlands. This is the first time ever that the kabaddi world cup has been held outside Asia. Will the Leader of the House please join me, my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton North East (Mrs Brackenridge), who attended matches with me, and my right hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton South East (Pat McFadden) in congratulating all the organisers and the England team, who finished runners-up to India, on a wonderful, successful tournament? It was testament to the rich cultural and sporting diversity that we have in Wolverhampton and the west midlands.
Lucy Powell
I congratulate my hon. Friend and the other Wolverhampton Members of Parliament on their support of the first kabaddi world cup games outside India.
Lucy Powell
I am sorry—outside Asia. I thank the hon. Member for correcting me. It is a great achievement for Wolverhampton. I was really pleased that the Government’s Commonwealth games legacy enhancement fund helped secure some of the funding for the world cup games, and maybe next time England will do better than be the runners-up.
Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)
The right hon. Lady may be pleased to hear that I will not mention rats and squeaky blinders today. I want to raise the problem of litter, which is an expensive nuisance. Last week marked the start of the Great British spring clean. Will she join me in thanking all the individuals, community groups and schools around the country that take part in this initiative? More importantly, many of them take part in such activities to help our communities day in, day out, throughout the year. Could we have a debate in Government time on tackling litter and fly-tipping, which blights so many of our communities?
Lucy Powell
I absolutely join the right hon. Lady in congratulating the Great British spring clean, which sounds brilliant. It is probably needed in the streets of Birmingham right now; I thought that was where she was going to turn the question to. These kinds of voluntary activities certainly cannot make up for failing bin services, but they are a very important part of keeping our streets and communities bright and clean.
Liam Conlon (Beckenham and Penge) (Lab)
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Lucas de Gouveia from Beckenham, who, at 14 years old, already represents GB at wheelchair tennis. Lucas contacted me to ask for help in raising money for equipment and travel, so that he can participate in competitions, which are more expensive for disability sports. I have written to a range of companies on Lucas’s behalf and hope to meet them soon, with Lucas. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Lucas on his incredible achievement so far, and wish us well as we try to secure sponsorship for him?
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. I wish Lucas all the best for this season, and for his future career. We have a great legacy in this country of producing some of the best wheelchair tennis players in the world. My hon. Friend has given a really good advert and shout out today. I hope there are companies watching this who might want to sponsor Lucas.
Pippa Heylings (South Cambridgeshire) (LD)
Addenbrooke’s hospital in my constituency has launched a major expert clinical inquiry, following worrying evidence that nine young children suffered worse outcomes than expected following surgery by a now suspended paediatric orthopaedic surgeon. I have written a letter to the hospital requesting that a 2016 report into the same area be sent to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and me. Will the Leader of the House help secure an opportunity for me to meet the Secretary of State to discuss that report and the new inquiry, so that we can ensure that it is open and transparent, and so that we can reassure patients, families and the staff of the organisation, and ensure that there is no retaliation against any whistleblowers?
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. I will ensure that the hon. Lady gets the meeting and responses she requests. This sounds like a very difficult and challenging case, but she is absolutely right that whistleblowers and all those involved should be able to come forward in such inquiries, safe in the knowledge that they will be protected. That is the culture we need in our national health service, so that lessons can always be learned in an open and transparent way, and so that people are not blamed incorrectly.
Barry Gardiner (Brent West) (Lab)
I was proud to be in this House when Tony Blair and Gordon Brown established the Department for International Development, and when they established the Drop the Debt campaign. I was proud when the Leader of the House and I stood for election on a manifesto that committed us to restoring the international aid budget to 0.7% of GNI. May we please have a debate in Government time on how it might be possible to find a lost moral compass?
Lucy Powell
I think we all share pride in what the previous Labour Government did on debt reduction and aid for some of the poorest countries in the world. We are also proud of our commitment, which remains, to returning our aid budget to 0.7% of GDP. We had a statement to this House by the Prime Minister on the need for us to find extra funding for defence expenditure in this changing, uncertain and insecure world, but we remain absolutely committed to returning the aid budget to the 0.7% level that we set.
Sir Julian Lewis (New Forest East) (Con)
The Leader of the House will surely agree that when we send our armed forces into dangerous situations, they deserve to be protected against vexatious litigious claims that are ultimately thrown out, but only after great expense, distress and strain. There was a rather inconclusive exchange at Defence questions on Monday about whether we should withdraw from the European convention on human rights, or have a derogation for the proposed force that may go on a peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. May we have a statement from a senior Law Officer confirming that it is perfectly possible to derogate from the ECHR for a specific mission like this, without in any way committing ourselves to staying in or leaving the ECHR in the long term?
Lucy Powell
The right hon. Gentleman raises a really important matter and I am sorry that the answer that he or a colleague received in Defence questions on Monday was not satisfactory. I will look into that and make sure he gets one. Absolutely, this is a good matter to raise with a Law Officer. We have Attorney General questions at the beginning of May, but in the meantime I will ensure he gets a good reply about that important question.
Mark Ferguson (Gateshead Central and Whickham) (Lab)
To have a PhD in oncology, to be a GP, to work in a women’s prison—each would mark someone out as a remarkable person, but Dr Jenefer Llewelyn did all three. In her final email to me on 29 January, she said:
“I implore you to keep up the fight for those with cholangiocarcinoma.”
I regret to inform the House that Dr Llewelyn passed away on 15 March, leaving behind her partner and three children, as well as the rest of those in my community who loved, respected and relied on her. In Dr Llewelyn’s name, I want to keep my promise to her and keep on fighting, so will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on the treatment of those with cholangiocarcinoma?
Lucy Powell
I thank my hon. Friend for raising this matter, and I pay tribute to Dr Jenefer Llewelyn. She sounds like a truly remarkable woman and I am really sorry to learn that she is no longer with us, leaving behind her partner and three children who I am sure are incredibly proud of the contribution she made across all the professions my hon. Friend described. He rightly raises the treatment and the supply chain for medicines. The Department of Health and Social Care is committed to making sure that people such as Dr Llewelyn get the treatment they need in a timely fashion, but I will make sure that a Minister responds to my hon. Friend fully.
Ann Davies (Caerfyrddin) (PC)
Some 172 of my constituents have been affected by the British Coal staff superannuation scheme scandal. In the autumn Budget, the UK Government released equivalent funds from the miners’ pension scheme, but did not do so for those in the BCSSS. The Government’s failure to release frozen funds is causing immense hardship such as that caused to the Allied Steel and Wire workers. Pensioners who have paid into the system for decades are now left without the support they deserve. What assurance can the Leader of the House give me that the Government are working towards a fair resolution for those affected by this scandal? Can we please have a written statement on the issue?
Lucy Powell
I am sorry to hear of that case; the hon. Lady raises an important issue. We have been taking steps to make sure there is a fair resolution in these cases. I will ensure she gets a full update on the matter. Should it progress further, I will make sure that it is brought forward to the Floor of the House.
Matt Western (Warwick and Leamington) (Lab)
Last Saturday was the eighth anniversary of the sad passing of PC Keith Palmer, who died in the line of duty. He died securing this place and we should remember him. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear.”] Up and down the country, as we saw last summer, police officers put themselves in harm’s way securing and making safe the public. They often get injured in such events. If they are injured and forced to retire early, they miss out on their long service duty medal. Will the Leader of the House join me, or perhaps arrange a meeting for me with the appropriate Minister, to discuss the need for an injury retirement medal for officers who make that sacrifice to keep the public safe?
Lucy Powell
I thank my hon. Friend for giving us a moment to remember Keith Palmer. Many of us were there that day, and we will never forget that he gave his life protecting those of us inside this place. My hon. Friend is absolutely right—it sounds like a really good idea to have an injury retirement medal for those who would otherwise have got a long service medal. I will ensure that the Home Secretary hears his call for that and that he gets a good reply.
John Cooper (Dumfries and Galloway) (Con)
The A77 and A75 roads are critical to the people of south-west Scotland, but they are also critical to the UK, because they service the exceptionally busy ferry port of Cairnryan, which links us with our friends in Northern Ireland. The difficulty with these roads is obvious if we ever travel them. There is another difficulty, however, which is that the Department for Transport here does not seem to think this has anything to do with it, and the Secretary of State for Scotland is too busy to meet me to discuss the issue. When the hon. Member for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock (Elaine Stewart), who is in her place on the Government Benches, and I wrote to the Transport Secretary in Scotland, we received a high-handed letter saying that it would be inappropriate to meet us. What is inappropriate is the way devolution does not appear to be working. Can we pluck from the logjam of Backbench Business Committee debate ideas one on devolution and how it is failing?
Lucy Powell
I certainly agree with the hon. Gentleman that I do not think government in Scotland is working effectively in the interests of his constituents and others. I am sorry to hear about the difficulties he has had in raising the issue of the A77 road in his constituency. I will certainly ask the Scottish Minister to meet him to discuss that, so that we can get to the bottom of who is responsible and he can speak to those who are.
Elaine Stewart (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (Lab)
As part of the East Ayrshire Youth Awards, pupils in Bellsbank primary school in my constituency won the intergenerational champion award. Ellie, Sienna and Lacie recently joined the Bellsbank Project sewing group and made fouter blankets. They donated these to elderly residents suffering from dementia in a local nursing home. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating pupils from Bellsbank primary school on their award and their enthusiasm for learning from older people?
Lucy Powell
It is always brilliant to hear such stories, and I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Ellie, Sienna and Lacie on making fouter blankets for the elderly residents in her constituency. What a lovely story; it is a reminder of the importance of these intergenerational programmes.
Tessa Munt (Wells and Mendip Hills) (LD)
Will the Leader of the House ask her colleagues in the Department of Health and Social Care for a statement explaining the rationale behind a decision last month to alter the eligibility criteria for additional compensation in the infected blood compensation scheme? The special category mechanism was replaced with the severe health condition award, which means that the group of 916 people with hepatitis C, including some of my constituents, have been singled out and are now prevented from receiving the supplementary compensation they expected, and desperately need because they are so unwell.
Lucy Powell
That is actually a matter for the Cabinet Office, rather than the Department of Health and Social Care, but I thank the hon. Lady for raising it. She is absolutely right; the Government are committed to paying comprehensive compensation, not just to those infected but to those affected. We have set aside £11.8 billion to compensate those affected in full. I know of the issue she is talking about. We are determined to work closely with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to ensure that everybody impacted is aware and is part of those conversations. I will ensure she gets a detailed response.
David Williams (Stoke-on-Trent North) (Lab)
It is no surprise that under a Labour Government hospital waiting lists have fallen for five months in a row. At Royal Stoke university hospital, which brilliantly serves my constituents in Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove and beyond, there are now 3,311 fewer patients waiting 18 weeks or longer to be seen compared with July last year. Will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on reducing hospital waiting lists, so that we can continue to sustain our progress in this area?
Lucy Powell
I know from talking to many colleagues that they share my hon. Friend’s enthusiasm for the significant fall we have seen in waiting lists for the fifth month in a row. That is having a direct impact on his constituents and many others. We have also hit our pledge to deliver over 2 million more elective care appointments, which will further drive down waiting lists. I will ensure the House is kept fully up to date on our progress on cutting waiting times, as we said we would.
Several hon. Members rose—
Lucy Powell
I understand that this is a very serious judgment which will be of concern to the hon. Lady’s constituents. I recognise that it has taken some time and has led to a significant fine for the university. We have had a few urgent questions and statements on these broader matters in the House in recent months, but I will ensure that the Secretary of State responds to her today and comes to the House with an update.
Johanna Baxter (Paisley and Renfrewshire South) (Lab)
Last week, I was alerted to the fact that one of my constituents, Owen Haggerty, a serving Royal Navy officer, had been detained in a jail in Bahrain. I immediately made contact with colleagues in the relevant Departments, but much to my surprise, no one would engage with me to inform me of his welfare or the current status of his case. That was apparently because I did not have his explicit consent. He was sitting in a jail in Bahrain. I had his mother’s consent—she was also a constituent—and yet still nobody would speak to me.
Over a week later, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office contacted me this morning to say that it now has Owen’s consent to talk to me about his case. I am very pleased that he has been granted a royal pardon by the King of Bahrain, but will the Leader of the House ensure that the FCDO works with me to arrange his urgent deportation back to this country, and that we avoid further delays in the future to MPs securing access to the information they need to support their constituents?
Lucy Powell
I am sorry to hear of my hon. Friend’s experiences with the FCDO, but I am pleased that Owen Haggerty received that pardon this morning. She raised this matter with me a couple of days ago, which is why I raised it with the Foreign Office and it was in touch with her this morning. That is my role as Leader of the House when those conversations are not forthcoming. I can assure her that both the Ministry of Defence and the FCDO have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to secure the pardon, and I will ensure that they continue to work with her and Owen’s family to make sure he comes back to the UK.
Martin Vickers (Brigg and Immingham) (Con)
In reply to an earlier question, the Leader of the House said that the BBC should serve all local communities. It is around 18 months since we had a shake-up of BBC local radio, and the result is that it is much less local. Could we have a debate in Government time on how the BBC could be held to account for that and could provide local radio that is more local?
Lucy Powell
I know that the shake-up in local radio caused a great deal of concern to Members across the House when it was proposed and implemented in the last Parliament; many Members raised their concerns directly with the director general and others at the time. I am certainly happy to raise with the Department how that has gone and what the feedback has been, and I will ensure that the hon. Gentleman and other Members are kept informed.
Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)
It will be four years this summer since Cumbria’s Newton Rigg agricultural college closed its doors, and with it ended the last course in hill farming available in England. Given the importance of hill farming and upland land management in constituencies such as mine, will the Leader of the House make time for a debate on the importance of land-based education and skills?
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. I am sorry to hear that the hill farming course that my hon. Friend describes is no longer available; that does not sound like a good development. As part of our programme of skills and education, I know that Ministers will be keen to discuss with her how we can ensure that agricultural education such as hill farming is at the centre of our thoughts.
Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (LD)
At PMQs yesterday, we were joined by my constituent Harry Brown and his family, who were in the Speaker’s Gallery. Harry battled childhood cancer and overcame it. After PMQs, I spoke to him about his experience. He told me how, throughout his treatment, he had to travel from the Royal Victoria infirmary in Newcastle to Great Ormond Street. Will the Leader of the House provide Government time for a debate on how we can better support childhood cancers and treat people closer to home?
Lucy Powell
I thank the hon. Member for bringing Harry Brown into Parliament yesterday and for talking to him at great length about his experiences. He is absolutely right: we need a balance between ensuring that we have specialist care, which is often centred in certain places, and ensuring that there is care in the community. That is at the heart of what we are doing to make sure that there is good preventative and community NHS care for all those who need it, all the time.
Gordon McKee (Glasgow South) (Lab)
The football pitch at Merrylee primary school in my constituency is used by hundreds of kids every day, but it is in a terrible condition. It needs to be redone, but the local SNP-run council is refusing to provide funding, which means that local parents have to identify grant funding. Will the Leader of the House join me in praising those local parents? Will she make time for a debate on community football pitches?
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. I am sorry to hear that local people are having to fundraise for such an issue, but my hon. Friend is right that football pitches are at the heart of our communities. In England, we have a football Bill going through the House, which will support grassroots funding. The Scottish Government have a very good settlement with a big budget from this Government, so hopefully they can use some of it to support his community better.
Jim Allister (North Antrim) (TUV)
Can we have a debate on the latest iteration of the crippling Irish sea border, namely the parcels border, which is due to become effective from 1 May? It will mean that every parcel moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, including personal parcels from a grandmother to a grandchild, is subject to the requirements of the EU customs border. It is particularly damaging for business, because business-to-business parcels can be sent only if the sender belongs to the trusted trader scheme and pays the fee, and if they make a customs declaration, including on where the goods came from and what they are. When can we discuss the fact that this United Kingdom is being partitioned and severed by an unnecessary border in the Irish sea?
Lucy Powell
I thank the hon. and learned Member for his question. As he will be aware, we are committed to the Windsor framework and to working through the types of issue that he raises. Those conversations are ongoing, and I will ensure that he is updated on where they are up to before 1 May.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)
I want to get all Members in if I possibly can, so please be kind to one another. Otherwise, some people will not get in.
Josh Dean (Hertford and Stortford) (Lab)
This Saturday, my constituent David Kiddie will be starting his 300 km walk for two-year-old Lily. In late 2024, Lily was diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy, a rare progressive degenerative disease that will sadly, in her family’s words, slowly take her away. David is raising money to support Lily and her family on this difficult journey and raise awareness of MLD. Will the Leader of the House join me in wishing David well as he prepares to begin his walk this weekend?
Lucy Powell
I will join my hon. Friend in supporting David’s fundraising efforts for Lily, who suffers from MLD; I thank him for raising that today. Hopefully, people will give to David’s efforts.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
In Nigeria, where religion shapes many aspects of life, more than 3.5 million people have been violently displaced from their home. Religious leaders have been kidnapped and killed. Communities long to return to their land, rebuild their lives and be protected from marginalisation by extremist groups. They seek restoration of security and dignity, yet the camps in which they often live lack basic aid, supplies and food, while those responsible for the atrocities continue to act with impunity. Will the Leader of the House ask a Foreign Office Minister to set out what steps the Government are taking to support efforts to end impunity for the perpetrators of these crimes and say whether a reporting mechanism has been established to ensure transparency in how UK aid money is being used in the Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states?
Lucy Powell
The hon. Member has attended every single business question that I have answered as Leader of the House. I congratulate him on his 70th birthday, which was on Tuesday—I think he deserves a special mention for that. Yet again, I thank him for raising the important matter of freedom of religion and belief for all. I will ensure that the Foreign Office Minister has heard the hon. Member’s call today, and that he gets a response.
Jim Dickson (Dartford) (Lab)
I am pleased to say that the excellent Dartford Sharks basketball club will be playing in the Medway league men’s cup final this weekend. However, like sports clubs all across the country, they have been finding it increasingly difficult to access regular facilities in which they can train and play, as schools and colleges are unable to afford to open their doors to hosting external sports clubs. Will the Leader of the House join me in wishing the Sharks luck in the final on Saturday? Will she make time for a debate on how we can increase access to sports facilities in public buildings such as schools?
Lucy Powell
I join my hon. Friend in wishing the Dartford Sharks all the very best. I think we have a debate coming up soon on supporting such measures. The Government are committed to grassroots sports facilities like the ones he describes. I hope the Dartford Sharks will be able to make use of them soon.
Jacob Collier (Burton and Uttoxeter) (Lab)
Shamefully, the National Brewery Centre in Burton was closed under the previous Conservative Administration and Member of Parliament, depriving us of an important link to our brewing history. The current Labour-led East Staffordshire borough council is working at pace to reopen it, and I am keen to get Government support. Given the importance of our brewery heritage to our national identity and local economy, will the Leader of the House grant a debate on support of our brewing heritage?
Lucy Powell
I know that brewing heritage is a particular interest for my hon. Friend and his constituents. I thought that he was going to invite me for a taste, but perhaps I can assist him in getting the brewery reopened first, and then we can enjoy some of its fine fare.
Anna Gelderd (South East Cornwall) (Lab)
This week, the disappointing decision was made to increase tolls on the Tamar crossings. Although this essential infrastructure must remain operational, I am very concerned about the disproportionate financial burden that is being placed on households and businesses in South East Cornwall. Can my right hon. Friend make time to discuss the vital issue of improving connectivity and supporting growth in the south-west as a priority? Will she ask the relevant Minister to work with me to ensure that rural communities feel the benefit of Labour’s commitment to an integrated transport network?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend raises an excellent question. She is absolutely right that rural communities such as those in South East Cornwall deserve to be better connected and integrated, and that should not come at a heavy cost to residents in her constituency. I will ensure that she gets a full reply. This is something that I am sure the House will want to be updated on.
Martin Rhodes (Glasgow North) (Lab)
An issue of concern for constituents in Glasgow North and elsewhere is the unregulated use of off-road vehicles. Anyone can easily purchase one without registration, and their subsequent use can lead to antisocial behaviour and in some places, including in my own constituency recently, to very tragic consequences. Will the Leader of the House provide time to debate the regulation, including registration, of these off-road vehicles?
Lucy Powell
This matter gets raised with me all the time, which is why one of my favourite pieces of legislation is the Crime and Policing Bill, which will give police the powers to seize such vehicles and crush them—crucially, get rid of them. My hon. Friend is absolutely right that they are a blight on our communities. We will have ample time to debate this important legislation in the coming months.
Laura Kyrke-Smith (Aylesbury) (Lab)
I am in touch with many parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities who have to battle too hard with Buckinghamshire council to get their education, health and care plans, their school places and their home-to-school transport. Will the Leader of the House join me in recognising the extraordinary lengths to which parents have to go to support their SEND kids? Will she continue to ensure that this House prioritises the reforms to the SEND system that are desperately needed?
Lucy Powell
My hon. Friend is right that families with children with SEND face real barriers to getting the support that they need. We have a broken system that does not give great outcomes or work for families. We are looking at reforming SEND, and I will ensure that she and the House are kept updated.
Dan Aldridge (Weston-super-Mare) (Lab)
My constituent Tia Brown has been refused vital treatment for premature ovarian insufficiency, a serious condition that affects one in 100 women under 40 in the UK, despite her doctors recommending that she be given the treatment and it being freely available in Wales. POI causes early ovarian failure, which increases the risk of serious health issues. As a mother of twins, Tia is advocating for her health and her family’s future, but also for all the women needing access to this critical treatment. Will the Leader of the House support a debate on premature ovarian insufficiency and the need for access to treatment across the UK?
Lucy Powell
The Government are clear that it is not acceptable that my hon. Friend’s constituent has not been able to get the care and support that she needs to deal with premature ovarian insufficiency. My hon. Friend has raised this matter on the Floor of the House; I will ensure that this particular case is looked at, but the wider issues that he has raised are a matter of concern for Ministers.
Blair McDougall (East Renfrewshire) (Lab)
Could the Leader of the House make time for a debate about local sporting excellence, to celebrate REN96 swimming club in my constituency, which won 73 medals in one weekend, GHA rugby in Giffnock, which won the championship, and the young athletes of Giffnock North athletics club, who came home with a haul of medals and personal bests? Will she join me in thanking the army of volunteers behind that success not just in my constituency but right across the country?
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. I will not repeat all the clubs that my hon. Friend mentioned, but he is right that grassroots sports clubs are at the heart of our community. In nearly all cases they are run by fantastic volunteers who give their life to them. They really do provide great opportunities for young people and others to keep fit and get together for these activities.
Paul Waugh (Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)
This past month, members of the Valley Thai boxing club in Whitworth, Rochdale, have been representing team GB in Bangkok in the world Muay Thai boxing championships. They have just come back with a record number of medals: eight gold, three silver and four bronze, including a bronze for my constituent Lynette Cook’s son Keaton. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating Keaton and all the Team GB members on representing our country in one of Britain’s fastest growing sports?
Lucy Powell
I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Valley Thai boxing club and its fantastic haul of medals. It is great to highlight that growing sport in his constituency to a wider audience.
Euan Stainbank (Falkirk) (Lab)
Ben and Melanie have paid thousands over the odds for their energy bills because their energy provider failed to provide accurate billing on their prepayment meter and wiped thousands in credit from their account. That energy provider has now missed nine appointments that it scheduled with Ben and Mel. Will the Leader of the House support a debate on how Ofgem can improve service standards and hold energy companies to account when they fail my constituents?
Lucy Powell
I am really sorry to hear of the experience of Ben and Melanie. I hope that the energy provider that he highlighted has heard this case and will quickly sort it out. The Government are working with Ofgem to reinforce our expectation that if rules are not complied with, it will enforce them. I will ensure that Ministers have heard that.
Laurence Turner (Birmingham Northfield) (Lab)
The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has been substantially changed in Committee. Can the Leader of the House give an update on when the House may see the impact assessment for that Bill? Can she give an assurance that sufficient time will be available for Members to consider that analysis before we get to the Bill’s remaining stages?
Lucy Powell
I thank my hon. Friend for raising that important matter for many colleagues across the House. He will be aware that the Bill’s Committee stage ended this week. It has been considerably amended: I think that the Committee accepted more than 100 amendments from those on both sides of the debate. The Government are committed to ensuring that the impact assessment is available for Members in good time before Report. I am sure that he will recognise that that will be a challenge, given how much the Bill has been amended, but we will do our very best to ensure that Members have ample time to look at it.
Tom Hayes (Bournemouth East) (Lab)
I was thrilled to be at Vitality stadium to see AFC Bournemouth women’s team crowned the FA women’s national league division 1 south west champions. It adds to the success of Queens Park ladies under-12s, who beat all the boys in its first season to win the league. Will the Leader of the House join me in congratulating those two teams? Might she also wish the best of luck to the men’s team as they face Manchester City in the FA cup on Sunday?
Lucy Powell
I will not go that far, because hopefully I will be spending Mothering Sunday watching City win and progress to the next round, but I certainly join him in congratulating the women’s football teams in his constituency on beating the boys and winning the tournament.
Sonia Kumar (Dudley) (Lab)
My constituent Darren recently shared the harrowing experience of his father Les, who went to A&E following a fall. An ambulance was called and they were told that it would take an hour to arrive. Unfortunately, it took six and a half hours. This is not an isolated incident, as such delays are becoming all too common across the country. Will the Leader of the House grant a debate in Government time to discuss ambulance waiting lists across the Black Country and what more can be done to ensure that no community is left behind when it comes to emergency care?
Lucy Powell
I am really sorry to hear about what happened to Darren’s father Les. The waiting time that they endured is frankly unacceptable. The ambulance and emergency care wait times that my hon. Friend described are a symptom of the chronic state of our national health service, which we and the country inherited. We are determined to turn that around. As she rightly said, unfortunately, emergency care is facing a great number of challenges. I will ensure that the Minister has heard her question.
Madam Deputy Speaker (Judith Cummins)
I thank everyone for keeping their questions short. I am sure that we will get everybody in.
John Slinger (Rugby) (Lab)
I will be quick, Madam Deputy Speaker. One of my constituents in Brownsover has been flooded several times over the past 10 years from leaks in Severn Trent pipes. The company makes good the damage, but does the Leader of the House agree that that is the bare minimum? The company should compensate for emotional harm—which I saw for myself on Saturday—and also consider buying homes at market rate when people cannot sell, and divert more resources away from shareholder dividends and towards fixing the infrastructure for the long term, so that my constituents feel the benefit of first-world amenities such as proper water infrastructure. Will she consider time for a debate on this?
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. Water companies and infrastructure in this country have not been working and have not been fit for purpose for a long time. We have passed the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, which will begin to turn this around. Further measures will come forward as we look more broadly at the water companies.
Rachel Blake (Cities of London and Westminster) (Lab/Co-op)
Since I last raised in this Chamber the negative impact of short-term lets in my constituency, Central London Forward has brought out new research estimating that 17,000 properties in my constituency are lost to short-term lets. It believes that a significant proportion of those is the result of individual owners owning up to 21 properties themselves. I thank the Leader of the House for her previous comments. Does she recognise the case I am making that the Cities of London and Westminster should be a pilot in the much-needed forthcoming Government registration scheme?
Lucy Powell
Absolutely. I know of these issues very well from my own constituency. As my hon. Friend said, we are introducing the short-term let registration scheme and abolishing the furnished holiday lets tax regime to remove some tax incentives. From April, councils can opt to charge a council tax premium of up to 100% on second homes. I will ensure that Ministers hear her plea to be part of that registration scheme.
Lee Pitcher (Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme) (Lab)
My remarkable constituent Pat Smith has dedicated 60 years of his life to coaching basketball, football and other sports, including 37 years leading the Hatfield Fliers basketball club. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking Pat for his exceptional service and for being an absolutely brilliant role model to many generations, and wishing him a happy and fulfilling retirement?
Lucy Powell
I join my hon. Friend in congratulating Pat and wishing him a fantastic and happy retirement. He deserves a good pat on the back.
Leigh Ingham (Stafford) (Lab)
Last weekend, in my constituency of Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages, I held a SEND forum for parents, carers, professionals and teachers. I heard a range of worrying and heartfelt stories, and emerging from all of them were real concerns about how Conservative-led Staffordshire county council communicates with the parents of SEND children. With that in mind, will the Leader of the House consent to a debate on guidelines for communicating with parents of SEND children, to ensure that communications are not adversarial, challenging and humiliating for them?
Lucy Powell
I am really sorry to hear that Staffordshire county council has fallen short in its communications and dealings with families and parents of those with SEND. This is always a difficult, challenging time for families, so councils should be much more sensitive about how they deal with the barriers that people face.